As we age, our bodies begin to show signs of wear and tear. We might start to feel more aches and pains, for example, or we might not be able to do the things we used to be able to with the same level of ease.

But while these physical changes are natural and expected as part of the ageing process, sometimes they can also be indicative of something more serious happening inside our bodies – like dementia.

According to recent research from Monash University, a combination of a poor gait and a weak hand grip may signal an increased risk of dementia long before any overt symptoms appear.

Over nearly five years, the study examined 18,000 originally healthy adults in their 70s or older.

Researchers discovered that a slow walking pace and a weak hand grip are two physical attributes that are associated with a 79 per cent greater chance of dementia and a 43 per cent increased risk of cognitive decline, which are two extremely early signs that someone may develop dementia without even being aware of it.

Poor hand grip and slow walking patterns are revealed to be related to the development of dementia. Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.​

The experts also noted that this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between the two physical measurements' changes in cognitive function.

Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine senior research fellow and lead author of the study Dr Suzanne Orchard said that the results provided significant evidence of a connection between ageing-related decreases in both cognitive and physical abilities.

She explained: 'Poor physical function may be a marker of future risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and thus, understanding this association could enhance early detection and prevention strategies.'

'While there are currently no cures for dementia, if identified early, treatment strategies can be implemented to slow its progression and manage the symptoms.'

She said that general practitioners and other healthcare providers might use straightforward grip and gait speed assessments.

The study shed light on the use of physical assessments for early ‘diagnosis’ of cognitive disease. Credit: AAP.​

The study, which utilised data from a significant clinical experiment, also took into account several factors, including age, gender, and initial cognitive level.

In response to new research showing that up to 85 per cent of the more than 55 million people living with dementia may not receive post-diagnosis care, treatment, or support, leading dementia experts have lately advocated for specialised care to be recognised as a human right.

According to Professor Henry Brodaty of UNSW, the pandemic's strain on the world's healthcare systems has made it even more difficult for medical staff to offer sufficient post-diagnosis therapy, care, and support for dementia patients.

According to government figures, there could be as many as 472,000 Australians living with dementia in 2021.

Dementia is a devastating neurological condition that robs people of their memories and eventually their ability to function independently. There is no known cure.

However, early diagnosis and intervention can improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers, and may delay the progression of the disease.

There are many reasons why early diagnosis of dementia is important. First, early diagnosis allows people with dementia to plan for their future and make decisions about their care while they are still able to do so. It also allows caregivers to learn about the disease and plan for their own future. Early diagnosis also allows people with dementia to access treatments and support services that can improve their quality of life and delay the progression of the disease.

Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be informed of the early signs of dementia and provide the necessary support to you and other loved ones in their lives.

 

[paulamc52]

As we age, our bodies begin to show signs of wear and tear. We might start to feel more aches and pains, for example, or we might not be able to do the things we used to be able to with the same level of ease.

But while these physical changes are natural and expected as part of the ageing process, sometimes they can also be indicative of something more serious happening inside our bodies – like dementia.

According to recent research from Monash University, a combination of a poor gait and a weak hand grip may signal an increased risk of dementia long before any overt symptoms appear.

Over nearly five years, the study examined 18,000 originally healthy adults in their 70s or older.

Researchers discovered that a slow walking pace and a weak hand grip are two physical attributes that are associated with a 79 per cent greater chance of dementia and a 43 per cent increased risk of cognitive decline, which are two extremely early signs that someone may develop dementia without even being aware of it.

Poor hand grip and slow walking patterns are revealed to be related to the development of dementia. Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.​

The experts also noted that this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between the two physical measurements' changes in cognitive function.

Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine senior research fellow and lead author of the study Dr Suzanne Orchard said that the results provided significant evidence of a connection between ageing-related decreases in both cognitive and physical abilities.

She explained: 'Poor physical function may be a marker of future risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and thus, understanding this association could enhance early detection and prevention strategies.'

'While there are currently no cures for dementia, if identified early, treatment strategies can be implemented to slow its progression and manage the symptoms.'

She said that general practitioners and other healthcare providers might use straightforward grip and gait speed assessments.

The study shed light on the use of physical assessments for early ‘diagnosis’ of cognitive disease. Credit: AAP.​

The study, which utilised data from a significant clinical experiment, also took into account several factors, including age, gender, and initial cognitive level.

In response to new research showing that up to 85 per cent of the more than 55 million people living with dementia may not receive post-diagnosis care, treatment, or support, leading dementia experts have lately advocated for specialised care to be recognised as a human right.

According to Professor Henry Brodaty of UNSW, the pandemic's strain on the world's healthcare systems has made it even more difficult for medical staff to offer sufficient post-diagnosis therapy, care, and support for dementia patients.

According to government figures, there could be as many as 472,000 Australians living with dementia in 2021.

Dementia is a devastating neurological condition that robs people of their memories and eventually their ability to function independently. There is no known cure.

However, early diagnosis and intervention can improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers, and may delay the progression of the disease.

There are many reasons why early diagnosis of dementia is important. First, early diagnosis allows people with dementia to plan for their future and make decisions about their care while they are still able to do so. It also allows caregivers to learn about the disease and plan for their own future. Early diagnosis also allows people with dementia to access treatments and support services that can improve their quality of life and delay the progression of the disease.

Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be informed of the early signs of dementia and provide the necessary support to you and other loved ones in their lives.

 

[paulamc52]

Hi,my Mother had dementia and it was very hard on my family.I used to work in Age Care .Maybe one day we will have cure, let's hope so.

 

[Senor]

My mother-in-law has early stages of dementia. She is starting to forget names and a few things here and there. She gets a bit frustrated when she can't remember things. She wants to say the name of the person but can't remember it, when she is told the name she says 'oh yes that person'. We know it will get worse and it is hard to see the decline. I wish there was a cure for this disease. I hope my wife or I don't have it in our later stages of life. It scares me a lot.

 

[Ian1]

As we age, our bodies begin to show signs of wear and tear. We might start to feel more aches and pains, for example, or we might not be able to do the things we used to be able to with the same level of ease.

But while these physical changes are natural and expected as part of the ageing process, sometimes they can also be indicative of something more serious happening inside our bodies – like dementia.

According to recent research from Monash University, a combination of a poor gait and a weak hand grip may signal an increased risk of dementia long before any overt symptoms appear.

Over nearly five years, the study examined 18,000 originally healthy adults in their 70s or older.

Researchers discovered that a slow walking pace and a weak hand grip are two physical attributes that are associated with a 79 per cent greater chance of dementia and a 43 per cent increased risk of cognitive decline, which are two extremely early signs that someone may develop dementia without even being aware of it.

Poor hand grip and slow walking patterns are revealed to be related to the development of dementia. Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.​

The experts also noted that this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between the two physical measurements' changes in cognitive function.

Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine senior research fellow and lead author of the study Dr Suzanne Orchard said that the results provided significant evidence of a connection between ageing-related decreases in both cognitive and physical abilities.

She explained: 'Poor physical function may be a marker of future risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and thus, understanding this association could enhance early detection and prevention strategies.'

'While there are currently no cures for dementia, if identified early, treatment strategies can be implemented to slow its progression and manage the symptoms.'

She said that general practitioners and other healthcare providers might use straightforward grip and gait speed assessments.

The study shed light on the use of physical assessments for early ‘diagnosis’ of cognitive disease. Credit: AAP.​

The study, which utilised data from a significant clinical experiment, also took into account several factors, including age, gender, and initial cognitive level.

In response to new research showing that up to 85 per cent of the more than 55 million people living with dementia may not receive post-diagnosis care, treatment, or support, leading dementia experts have lately advocated for specialised care to be recognised as a human right.

According to Professor Henry Brodaty of UNSW, the pandemic's strain on the world's healthcare systems has made it even more difficult for medical staff to offer sufficient post-diagnosis therapy, care, and support for dementia patients.

According to government figures, there could be as many as 472,000 Australians living with dementia in 2021.

Dementia is a devastating neurological condition that robs people of their memories and eventually their ability to function independently. There is no known cure.

However, early diagnosis and intervention can improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers, and may delay the progression of the disease.

There are many reasons why early diagnosis of dementia is important. First, early diagnosis allows people with dementia to plan for their future and make decisions about their care while they are still able to do so. It also allows caregivers to learn about the disease and plan for their own future. Early diagnosis also allows people with dementia to access treatments and support services that can improve their quality of life and delay the progression of the disease.

Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be informed of the early signs of dementia and provide the necessary support to you and other loved ones in their lives.

It’s a helpful article. My Father developed dementia in his 80’s, and is now no longer with us. It was upsetting to see his loss of functionality, and his obvious decline. At the time it did help to attend community forums to learn about what is actually going on in the brain, and not to argue with him if he got something wrong. For example, he used to call me his brother (in his last few years) and, although we knew it was incorrect, to have corrected him would have caused him distress. To learn that former ‘connectors’ in the human brain are destroyed, new ‘paths’ are formed which won’t match the old paths. So, since he died, I’ve been much more mindful of it happening to me. Keeping your mind active, doing crosswords, mental activities, etc are supposed to assist in delaying the onset. I already have experienced not being able to recall things easily, and other symptoms mentioned in the article. The memory loss I had previously just put down to memory fade with age, but I guess there is a reality that I’m choosing to hope will go away! Not likely, methinks!

 

[Shangrila1]

I am 62 semi retired. working 2 days a week with a non charitable organisation Operation Smile. When I left work stayed home doing stuff that I could not do whilst I was still working 4 days a week. but then I went back to work , 3 days a week but left after 8 weeks did not like to do the Payroll job anymore.
i just need some sort of a cosy job that the doesn't involved 2much work.
I sometimes forget when I enter the room and I forget what was the reason why I went in the room? Would you class it as dementia?
I am still active going to the gym 3 times a week, with a personal trainer once a week. Socialise with friends going to the movies or having lunch. Sunday church and entertaining.
I would like to be active and will still like to work 2X a week just to get me out of the house.
I have 2 old Maltese Shitzu, Woofless (16yo)and Oscar (14yo) Woofs is still active but deaf. Oscar have a thyroid and on a medication for life.

I have a wonderful GP that looks after me about my cholesterol, papsmear name it she in on the roll.
I am still waiting for my son 27yo to get married lol so I can have a grandkids . Already had one in London but too expensive to go every year.

anyway i won't bore you with my story. I know as we grow older things changed. But "SHOUT TO ALL THE SENIORS" we were young once. Can't complain

 

[Tipsy]

As we age, our bodies begin to show signs of wear and tear. We might start to feel more aches and pains, for example, or we might not be able to do the things we used to be able to with the same level of ease.

But while these physical changes are natural and expected as part of the ageing process, sometimes they can also be indicative of something more serious happening inside our bodies – like dementia.

According to recent research from Monash University, a combination of a poor gait and a weak hand grip may signal an increased risk of dementia long before any overt symptoms appear.

Over nearly five years, the study examined 18,000 originally healthy adults in their 70s or older.

Researchers discovered that a slow walking pace and a weak hand grip are two physical attributes that are associated with a 79 per cent greater chance of dementia and a 43 per cent increased risk of cognitive decline, which are two extremely early signs that someone may develop dementia without even being aware of it.

Poor hand grip and slow walking patterns are revealed to be related to the development of dementia. Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.​

The experts also noted that this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between the two physical measurements' changes in cognitive function.

Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine senior research fellow and lead author of the study Dr Suzanne Orchard said that the results provided significant evidence of a connection between ageing-related decreases in both cognitive and physical abilities.

She explained: 'Poor physical function may be a marker of future risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and thus, understanding this association could enhance early detection and prevention strategies.'

'While there are currently no cures for dementia, if identified early, treatment strategies can be implemented to slow its progression and manage the symptoms.'

She said that general practitioners and other healthcare providers might use straightforward grip and gait speed assessments.

The study shed light on the use of physical assessments for early ‘diagnosis’ of cognitive disease. Credit: AAP.​

The study, which utilised data from a significant clinical experiment, also took into account several factors, including age, gender, and initial cognitive level.

In response to new research showing that up to 85 per cent of the more than 55 million people living with dementia may not receive post-diagnosis care, treatment, or support, leading dementia experts have lately advocated for specialised care to be recognised as a human right.

According to Professor Henry Brodaty of UNSW, the pandemic's strain on the world's healthcare systems has made it even more difficult for medical staff to offer sufficient post-diagnosis therapy, care, and support for dementia patients.

According to government figures, there could be as many as 472,000 Australians living with dementia in 2021.

Dementia is a devastating neurological condition that robs people of their memories and eventually their ability to function independently. There is no known cure.

However, early diagnosis and intervention can improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers, and may delay the progression of the disease.

There are many reasons why early diagnosis of dementia is important. First, early diagnosis allows people with dementia to plan for their future and make decisions about their care while they are still able to do so. It also allows caregivers to learn about the disease and plan for their own future. Early diagnosis also allows people with dementia to access treatments and support services that can improve their quality of life and delay the progression of the disease.

Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be informed of the early signs of dementia and provide the necessary support to you and other loved ones in their lives.

I have a slowed gait but that is due to Arty Ritus in the feet, knees and hips, plus a crushed disk between L4,L5, + having a Frozen neck does not help with ones visual gaze.... Handshake is still bloody good and I am still breathing.... One can also relate to the fact that there is always some else worse off than your self

 

[hdhensel]

There is no doubt that the condition exists but it must be recognized that there is a big, sliding scale of severity. Any article that claims that there are two physical actions that indicate a progression to dementia by 79% and 43% is hardly worth reading. These generalizations that some "academics" come up with are astoundingly ridiculous. It seems to be a case of write for the sake of writing even if it is BS

 

[Groovy]

Experts say that if you remember that you forgot something, it’s not dementia.
Dementia is when you don’t remember who is who, you don’t know where you are, how to do things, taking care of yourself………you become a different person.
So sad that people get to that stage.

 

[Ezzy]

A helpful article indeed. I know of people who have had this & have passed & someone who is currently affected with this awful sickness. The current friend still has his dry sense of humour & could still hold a reasonable conversation with some memory loss which causes him to pause mid sentence. His wife however finds every day very taxing of course, dealing with his inability to remember appointments etc. One fear he has is that he'll become too much for her & will be put into a home. Sadly this may be inevitable in the future.

Sad to think that with all the cures developed for one thing & another this has eluded scientists to date. Hopefully one day, just like T.B., this will be just a memory.

 

[hdhensel]

Ezzy, with respect how was this article helpful?? Dodgy statistics and generalizations. Nothing of any substance!!

 

[Ezzy]

Ezzy, with respect how was this article helpful?? Dodgy statistics and generalizations. Nothing of any substance!!

Having a better understanding of this illness is better than ignorance.

I recently attended a talk given to Seniors about this very subject. The lady was well informed because she nursed her mother with this until her death& has now qualified in this field. With so many different types of this illness, different people can give me similar or more information than the knowledge already known.

Not sure if this clarifies your question but that is as things are from my viewpoint.

 

[hdhensel]

Ignorance on a subject is quickly overcome by some of your own research. Listening to others about anecdotal evidence can so easily be so misleading because they cannot be specific about your concerns. I am more concerned with dodgy statistics and generalizations. Where are the facts behind these statistics??

 

[Ezzy]

Ignorance on a subject is quickly overcome by some of your own research. Listening to others about anecdotal evidence can so easily be so misleading because they cannot be specific about your concerns. I am more concerned with dodgy statistics and generalizations. Where are the facts behind these statistics??

I am not afflicted with this illness. Anecdotal l doubt because she qualified with a title after years of study.

What makes you an expert that you can state with certainty that the statistics are dodgy & generalised?

Was l the only person who felt this story was helpful? No!! So why single me out for crucifixion?

 

[hdhensel]

Oh my goodness, you are so ignorant. Any article that claims that there are two physical actions that indicate a progression to dementia by 79% and 43% is hardly worth reading. Anyone with any sense will see that these statistics are dodgy. How are they measured?? Enlighten me. You obviously haven't had any scientific training.

 

[prendyc]

One of the best remedies for dementia & Alzheimer's is coconut oil, it contains the same median chain triglycerides as the brain, meanwhile big pharma makes a motza from people's misery & sickness, stop eating toxic margarine, canola oil & vegetable oil, have healthy fats, the flu shot each is another contributing factor, it contains mercury which gets into the brain, not a good mix

 

[hdhensel]

Prendyc. What believable medical evidence do you have that confirms your belief that coconut oil is a good remedy for dementia and Alzheimers??? Taken how?? You have a hard time getting your message across when you don't use any punctuation. Not a good mix

 

[Ezzy]

Oh my goodness, you are so ignorant. Any article that claims that there are two physical actions that indicate a progression to dementia by 79% and 43% is hardly worth reading. Anyone with any sense will see that these statistics are dodgy. How are they measured?? Enlighten me. You obviously haven't had any scientific training.

Ignorant perhaps to what qualifies you to shoot down in flames every person who comments on this including the member above. You must have read it yourself to be able to quote %'s yet you say it is hardly worth reading. Are your remarks just opinions or do you have training & a medical qualification to state as you do?

Enough said on this subject now l believe. We agree to disagree. This is a forum for opinions not insults!

 

[prendyc]

There's loads of evidence to suggest coconut oil is good for the brain, a tsp a day can make a big difference, certainly better that harmful medication, which all have side effects, I'm a firm advocate of natural remedies not drugs, yes people have been killed by medical methods for decades, in fact, it's the No.1 cause of death worldwide. Only have to look at the deaths caused by the latest bioweapon covid jabs. I see & hear more ambulances everyday, I feel sorry for all the people losing family members & now more kids, that's just fact. I read alternate research based on truth not scientism in favour of big pharma to prop up their profits, or the evil cabal agenda. Wake up, we have been lied to for decades

 

[Ezzy]

There's loads of evidence to suggest coconut oil is good for the brain, a tsp a day can make a big difference, certainly better that harmful medication, which all have side effects, I'm a firm advocate of natural remedies not drugs, yes people have been killed by medical methods for decades, in fact, it's the No.1 cause of death worldwide. Only have to look at the deaths caused by the latest bioweapon covid jabs. I see & hear more ambulances everyday, I feel sorry for all the people losing family members & now more kids, that's just fact. I read alternate research based on truth not scientism in favour of big pharma to prop up their profits, or the evil cabal agenda. Wake up, we have been lied to for decades

I have Facebook friends in many parts of the world who would agree with you about alternate, natural medications & have already stated their objection to some of the items you have mentioned here.